Powering up the moors

Lewis and Harris wind turbines are resuming operations for the first time in 11 months.

Renewable energy is once again flowing from the moorland through the local electricity grid following a £28 million project to replace the Skye to Harris subsea cable. Island turbines had to stop generating due to grid stability problems when the link failed in October 2020.

Diesel fuelled power stations at Stornoway and Arnish - which have been running at full duty operations - are today being eased off the system as local turbines are gradually switched back on.

Barring any last minute hitches, island renewable generators should be back to normal operations this evening (Wednesday) with the sign-off expected to be announced tomorrow.

Checks are being made to ensure the local grid remains stable as each local turbine joins the network and the power stations’ output decreases.

Lewis and Harris have been cut off from the national electricity grid since last autumn when a catastrophic fault occurred in the existing submarine distribution cable connecting to the Scottish mainland to the only energy link between the locations.

The broken section is about 130 metres deep, mid-way in the Minch - too far down to carry out repairs.

The replacement 33,000-volt energy ink stretches from Skye adjacent to the existing broken connector on the seabed.

The cable is part of a line that carries power from the National Grid to Stornoway.

The entire link comprises an overland grid from Fort Augustus to Skye, the subsea section between Skye and Harris and a further overland section running through Lewis to Stornoway.

Powering up the moors

1 September 2021

Stornoway power station is reducing output today as local turbines rejoin the grid